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Ignatius of Antioch

Epistle to the Philadelphians

Chapter 6

Do not accept Judaism.

But if any one preach the Jewish law1 unto you, listen not to him. For it is better to hearken to Christian doctrine from a man who has been circumcised, than to Judaism from one uncircumcised. But if either of such persons do not speak concerning Jesus Christ, they are in my judgment but as monuments and sepulchres of the dead, upon which are written only the names of men. Flee therefore the wicked devices and snares of the prince of this world, lest at any time being conquered2 by his artifices,3 ye grow weak in your love. But be ye all joined together4 with an undivided heart. And I thank my God that I have a good conscience in respect to you, and that no one has it in his power to boast, either privately or publicly, that I have burdened5 any one either in much or in little. And I wish for all among whom I have spoken, that they may not possess that for a testimony against them.

Notes

  1. Literally, “Judaism.”↩
  2. Literally, “oppressed.”↩
  3. Or, “will.”↩
  4. Some render, “come together into the same place.”↩
  5. Apparently by attempting to impose the yoke of Judaism.↩

Translation by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson and Frederick Crombie: The Ante-Nicene Christian Library, vol. 1: The Apostolic Fathers (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1870).
Text from Project Gutenberg eBook #77576, proofread by Distributed Proofreaders from Internet Archive scans. Public domain.